Del Piero: 'Bring on Roma!'

Alessandro Del Piero played 120 minutes in the Coppa Italia with eight stitches in his head, but riles up Juventus again. “Bring on Roma!”

Alessandro Del Piero played 120 minutes in the Coppa Italia with eight stitches in his head, but riles up Juventus again. “Bring on Roma!”

The captain has barely featured this season and his appearance on Sunday lasted just eight minutes before he was accidentally kicked in the side of the head, warranting eight stitches.

Despite that injury and medics advising rest, he played the full Coppa Italia tie plus extra time to beat Bologna 2-1 last night.

“It took 120 minutes to get past Bologna in the Coppa Italia and qualify for the quarter-finals,” he wrote on his official website.

“It was a tough game during which we were capable of reacting to the huge blow of conceding an equaliser in stoppages.

“You just need to see how the game went to understand how much we all care about this objective, which allows us to continue the climb towards the ‘Silver Star,’ that is the 10th Coppa Italia.

“We were supported from start to finish by our fans and this was important. I’d like to thank them all, even personally, for the warmth they greeted us with.

“In terms of my own performance, let’s just say my head held up, despite the protection and the ‘turban’ on the wound I felt good and am happy with the game. I’m satisfied with my 120 minutes and ready to concentrate on the next step, Monday’s trip to the Olimpico.